Generic Research Summation

Common codes and conventions - magazine covers

• Through the my research for my generic analysis 1,2 and 3 and previous research for mood boards and just generally looking over and analysing different front covers and websites I picked out common codes and conventions that I will look into using for my magazine.
• A common theme between magazine covers was they all possessed the magazine's name using bold distinctive with cohesive and consistent colour palettes and typography between the magazine covers and their media platforms such as their website. This was to create a strong sense of brand identity and to help with cross media convergence.
• They also had very eye catching headlines and subheadings that would intrigue the reader to read further, a common pattern was the use of puns, play on words or intertextuality which only either a  politically or culturally conscious reader would be able to interrupt. Which implies most current affairs magazines target an intellectual demographic. 
• A common theme was high quality graphics and pictures, one of my favourites was The Big Issue because the photographs of the real people usually had fun illustrations surrounding the image and anchoring the message the magazine was trying to place across. Sometimes there are illustrations drawn of different people such as politicians in a satirical manner to represent the magazine's political stance and to attract their target demographic that is of the same political leaning.
• Another common convention which may seem very minuscule but actually adds to the realistic touch of a real magazine are the pugs, things such as bar codes that add to the realistic 
• Use of body language of the models to anchor the surrounding text or article mentions. 
• How the use of make up (even something as simple as a lack of make up) and costume and hair styles all play a big part in anchoring key messages also. 
• More specifically, for my business woman front cover I will create a more serious tone through not dressing them in provocative attire and connote an assertive tone through their stance and make up.
• Common codes and conventions for websites:
• A menu bar that links all the other key articles and topics
• A bold title that is consistent in typography and colour palette as to the physical magazine covers. More often than not in sans-serif font
• A bold box that invites you to subscribe to their newsletter
• Links to other special articles that the readers might be interested in
• Top story section

Applying Theory

 R Barthes Semiology/semiotics - different codes and conventions will symbolise and connote and denote different hidden meanings. Semiotics are used in media texts, and more topic specific, magazines, to attract audiences and hook them into buying and reading the rest of the magazine.

 There are multiple ways you can use semiotics, such as through the use of different colour palettes, for example, things to do with horror usually contain red and black. Orange can be typically used around Halloween whilst green and red can also be used for Christmas festivities. 

Moreover, even things such as cultural codes, when a media text, i.e. in this case magazine cover, uses codes and conventions that only people from specific cultures or ages will understand. This is very important when trying to fully address your specific target demographic.

Enigma codes are used to attract and hold the attention of the reader by creating mystery and puzzle, intriguing the reader to delve deeper in the rest of the magazine.

Stuart Hall's Representation Theory - there are many negative stereotypes in media texts, Stuart Hall believes this occurs when there are inequalities in power or when the source that created the stereotypes does not actually have any real life experience with people from those groups, usually minority groups. In my magazine, I am hoping to challenge those negative stereotypes, I do not want my front covers to sexualise women and also portray a positive interpretation of strong role models that have mental health but are coping with them as in society they can often be labelled negatively.

Stuart Hall's Reception Theory - every audience will respond uniquely to a piece of media text because everyone interrupts certain codes and conventions differently based on their age, gender, social class etc. there are 3 different interpretations: preferred, negotiated and oppositional.  My aim is for the preferred readings to stem from my target demographic because they will have successfully understood the references and also agree with my magazine's opinion.